For the second straight year, Friends of Oaks Bottom sponsored a booth at Sundae in the Park, an event that has embodied the spirit of the Sellwood neighborhood for decades. Throughout the day hundreds mingled under the welcome shade of the fir trees at the South end of Sellwood Park, where they could enjoy live …
Sellwood Flowers, our fantastic local flower shop, will be celebrating the birthday of Alouette, the adorable shop bird, on August 10th. Ten percent of all sales will go directly to Friends of Oaks Bottom. Please come celebrate Alouette, buy some flowers, and support Friends of Oaks Bottom while you’re doing so. See below for more …
Support Friends of Oaks Bottom by Supporting Sellwood Flowers on August 10th! Read More »
On Saturday, June 29th, a small but determined group of volunteers spent three hours beneath a clear blue sky picking up garbage on the north side of the refuge. Volunteers focused on the upper area around the parking lot, but also ventured down into the ravine to the east of the connection to the Spring …
Scanning the main pond for bird life from the Springwater Corridor It was a rainy Saturday morning, but we still had nine hardy attendees! Joshua Meyers and John Sparks led the group around Oaks Bottom, noting spring blooms and an abundance of bird life, 51 species tallied in the three hours we were out. Cinnamon …
Four Friends of Oaks Bottom formed a team to participate in the City Nature Challenge on the morning of April 27th. This is a worldwide “contest,” and we were invited to participate by the local Nature Conservancy. We split into two groups, one focusing on birds and the other on plants. Everything had to be …
On Saturday, April 13, more than a dozen volunteers worked with Friends of Oaks Bottom to remove invasive species on the south side of the refuge. The intrepid and spirited Ann Marie Santos from Portland Parks led the effort, and the work was both joyful and productive. We are so grateful for all the volunteers …
Friends of Oaks Bottom Photo Contest “Take Your Best Shot”In the spring of 2024, The Friends of Oaks Bottom (FOOB) will be hosting a photo contest to raise awareness of our beautiful park, get people outside enjoying the park, learn about FOOB, and participate in making beautiful Art. Submit your photos that show the beauty …
On the morning of February 10th, Friends of Oaks Bottom joined forces with Portland Parks and Recreation to plant spirea, red flowering currant, willows and more to improve habitat for local wildlife. Some thirty volunteers of all ages, from the neighborhood and beyond, participated, and the weather cooperated wonderfully as you can see from the …
Article and photos by John Sparks Friends of Oaks Bottom volunteers working near the seasonal Aurora Lake in the North Meadow Three species of salamander call Oaks Bottom home. These amphibians breed, lay eggs, and live their lives in the various habitats that the Bottom offers. Two of the salamanders are terrestrial breeders, while the …
by John Sparks Thanks to all those who visited the Friends of Oaks Bottom tent at Sundae in the Park! The annual event, sponsored by the Sellwood Community House and SMILE (Sellwood-Moreland Improvement League), was held again this year at Sellwood Park on Sunday, August 6th, from 12:00 – 5:00 p.m. Tables and canopies were …
by John Sparks Oaks Bottom’s North Meadow is off limits to the general public while efforts are underway to fully restore the natural wetland habitat. This 50-acre area of seasonal pools had been filled with rubble from the Stadium Freeway project by the Drake Company, which owned the land. Since the freeway, now known as …
By John Sparks Tom Nelson takes out his Canon 60D Digital SLR, augmented by a 70-300mm zoom, and begins his daily stroll. He’s been doing this morning constitutional for over 15 years now, at 7:00 a.m., rain or shine, ever since he and his wife moved to Portland to be near two of their three …